AI-generated image
Labneh with za'atar
Labneh bi za'atar: salted strained yogurt with thyme, sumac and sesame
Labneh is the thick, tangy strained yogurt that Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian families spread on a plate every morning, swirl with olive oil and scatter with za'atar, the wild-thyme, sumac and toasted sesame mix of the Levant. It sits beside olives, cucumber, tomato and warm khubz at breakfast in Beirut and on the mezze table at night, and the firmer version is rolled into small balls and kept in jars of olive oil for weeks. Here salted yogurt hangs for a full day until it is as thick as cream cheese, then goes out two ways: spread in a dish, and rolled into balls. A common mistake is using low-fat or set yogurt with gelatine; it gives a thin, chalky labneh, so choose full-fat plain yogurt with only milk and cultures. Chef's tip: stir the salt in before straining, not after, because it draws out more whey and seasons the yogurt all the way through.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the labneh
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Stir 1 tsp fine salt into 2 ¼ lb full-fat plain yogurt until completely dissolved.
Step 2: Line a sieve with a double layer of muslin or a clean thin tea towel and set it over a deep bowl. Spoon in the yogurt, gather up the cloth and tie it loosely.
Step 3: Leave it in the fridge for 24 hours. After about 12 hours it will be like thick Greek yogurt; by 24 hours it should hold a spoon upright and feel like soft cream cheese. Pour off the whey now and then so the bag never sits in it.
1440 minStep 4: Unwrap the labneh. You should have about 450 g. For a spread, swirl half of it into a shallow dish, making a well in the centre with the back of a spoon.
Step 5: For balls, chill the other half for an hour more if it feels sticky, then oil your hands lightly and roll it into balls the size of a walnut.
Step 6: Pour 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil into the well of the spread and sprinkle with 1 tbsp za'atar. Roll the balls in the rest of 1 tbsp za'atar and drizzle with the rest of 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Serve with 6 fresh mint leaves, 2 ⅞ oz black olives and 1 cucumber and warm flatbread.
Step 7: Keep the spread covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The balls keep for 2–3 weeks in a clean jar covered completely with olive oil.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does labneh with za'atar take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of full-fat plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.
Olive salsa dip
A chunky Mediterranean salsa of chopped black olives, tomato, pepper and spring onions with chives, basil, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Serve it cold or at room temperature with corn chips or toasted bread.